Gender Stories

Dr Alex Iantaffi interviews Lex Pulice-Farrow about their research on the experiences of nonbinary people in romantic relationships. They discuss the opposite of microaggressions, that is microaffirmations of nonbinary identities and experiences in romantic relationships, as well as the joys and challenges of dating as a nonbinary person. Lex Pulice-Farrow is a second-year graduate student in the Counseling Psychology doctoral program at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville. They work with Dr. Kirsten Gonzalez, and, presently, their work focuses on positive psychology of transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming individuals and their experiences of community connection and belongingness. Lex hopes to someday become a professor, and use their research to advocate for policy changes of gender and sexual minority individuals. Outside of research, Lex competes in short-course triathlons, enjoys cooking, video games, reading, and hiking in East Tennessee, as well as spending time with their fiancee, dog

Alex Iantaffi and Root Holden recorded a live episode during the Podcast Movement Conference in Orlando, Florida on August 14th, 2019. They comment on the conference through the lens of gender and discuss Root's upcoming podcast Grave Decor. If you want to get a sense of what podcasters are up to when we all come together for the largest gathering in the US, this episode is for you!Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Dr Alex Iantaffi discusses the often hidden and gendered labor of making vacations happen, for those who have the privilege to do so. They break down the various components of vacations, from decision making to underlying assumptions underpinning our choices, and how gender might influence all of these things. Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Alex Iantaffi interviews Dr. Pavini Moray (pronoun: Pe), a somatic sex therapist in private practice, about changing pe's gender marker in California, erotic liberation, ancestral healing and gender blessed ancestors. Working through a trauma-informed, pleasure-centric lens, Pavini works with individuals and couples who wish to resolve the past, inhabit their bodies and their pleasure, and learn to speak their desires. Pavini hosts the podcasts “Bespoken Bones: Ancestors at the crossroads of sex, magick, and science”  and, launching in September 2019, “The Well-Pleasured Podcast.” As a queer trans witch, Pavini walks the glitter path of dancing bones, ridiculous delight and old magick. You can find out more about Pavini at: https://www.emancipating-sexuality.com/ Listen to Bespoken Bones at: https://bespokenbones.com/ or follow on Instagram @bespokenbonesSupport the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

CN: This episode addresses various forms of trauma. Please take care of yourself if you choose to listen. Thank you.For PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) Awareness Month, Alex Iantaffi talks about how complex PTSD and developmental trauma can impact our nervous systems, why gender matters when discussing trauma and how neuroplasticity gives us hope.Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Alex Iantaffi interviews CN Lester, a writer, musician, academic, and leading LGBTI activist. CN is the co-founder of the UK's first national queer youth organisation, they curate the trans art event Transpose for the Barbican, and work internationally as a trans and feminist educator and speaker. Their work has featured on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, SBS, The Guardian, ABC, The Independent, Newsnight, and at Sydney Opera House. Alex and CN talk about 17th century composer Barbara Strozzi, gender and CN's internationally acclaimed book "Trans Like Me". Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Alex Iantaffi reflects on the value of sisterhood in their life as a survivor and on losing a sense of belonging after they came out as trans. They look at their life and how their survival has in the past depended on using 'women's services' while exploring their own gender identity. Alex addresses domestic and sexual violence as gendered violence and invites the listeners to join them on a journey that honors their past while troubling easy binaries. CN: This episode contains mentions of domestic violence, abuse and sexual assault.Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Dr Markie Twist facilitates a panel of generation z members, ranging from elementary school age to first year college students. The panel took place live at the University of Wisconsin-Stout and Gender Stories had the privilege to record these insightful young people as they discuss gender in their generation!Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

On Trans Day of Visibility, Alex Iantaffi talks to Root Holden, a trans masculine, nonbinary person living on Anishinaabe territory, currently known as Minneapolis. They are a Reclaiming witch, podcast producer (for this podcast!), and have twenty years of experience in the tech industry. They talk about visibility across gender, geographical location, at work and as a pagan. Root talks about the process of becoming more visible to themselves in their own gender journey and how this impacted them. Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Alex Iantaffi offers some reflections on self-consent and gender expressions and roles. They start from defining self-consent using Sophie Graham's article at https://loveuncommon.com/2017/09/28/self-consent/ and then discuss why self-consent matters when it comes to gender, how it may be constrained by issues of power and privilege and how we're impacted by social and cultural pressures, which might get in the way of respecting our own needs, desires and boundaries around gender.Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

In this episode Meg-John Barker and Alex Iantaffi answer a series of questions about all things non-binary posed by their publisher, Jessica Kingsley, to celebrate LGBT History Month in the UK and their upcoming book, Life Isn't Binary (to be published in May 2019). Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

This episode is all about language. Alex Iantaffi reflects on the multiple ways in which language and gender are connected and can define one another. They invite us to look at language through the lens of gender and to reflect on what we might open up or close down with our linguistic choices. As well as offering some definitions of words like trans, cis and non-binary, which have already been used on the show, they also invite us to look at gendered words such as madam, lady, gentleman, handsome and pretty from a more intentional perspective. If you would like to deepen this conversation, you can check out Alex's website at www.alexiantaffi.com, their book "How To Understand You Gender" and the upcoming book "Life Isn't Binary", both co-authored with Meg-John Barker. Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

In this episode, Marcel Byrd talks with our host, Alex Iantaffi, about dance, how it intersects with gender and other aspects of identity, such as race, and the joy it can bring us. Marcel Byrd is a 25 year old dancer and public health activist that has been living in the Washington DC area for a little more than three years. An avid lover of health equity, dance, and social justice, Marcel aims to better health and wellness outcomes through creativity and access to the arts. Marcel is also about to co-host a brand new podcast These Colored Pages. You can soon find out more at thesecoloredpages.com or follow their podcast on Twitter @TheColoredPages Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

In this opening episode for season 2, our host, Alex Iantaffi gets vulnerable talking about the pressures they feel around holidays and especially times that mark a new year. They share how some of these pressures are gendered for them and also for other people. Alex talks about the pressures we might experience during these times when we might be expected to come together to celebrate cultural, religious or family holidays. They invite the listeners to consider an approach that privileges intentions over resolutions, kindness over obligation and compassion over trying to do it all. If you have ever felt pressured around the holidays, and especially marking new cycles, such as a new calendar year, this episode is for you. And, if you never have, maybe this episode might help you understand people around you who might feel this way. Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

In this episode, the amazing Naomi Ortiz discusses her contribution to the new anthology "Resistance and Hope: Essays by Disabled People", edited by Alice Wong.  This anthology includes 16 essays by 17 disabled writers, activists, & artists. As Alice twitted "This is crip wisdom for the people"! Naomi Ortiz is a facilitator, writer, poet, and visual artist who cracks apart common beliefs and spills out beauty. Naomi is a nationally known writer, speaker and trainer on self-care, disability justice, and living in multiple worlds (intersectionality). She is a Disabled, Mestiza (Latina/Indigenous/White), raised in Latinx culture, living in the U.S./Mexico borderlands. Naomi’s book, Sustaining Spirit: Self Care for Social Justice invites readers to delve into what self-care means in their lives by exploring the relationships between body, mind, spirit, heart, and place to integrate self-care to survive and thrive. Caring about the world should not burn us out. Sustaining Spirit: Self-Care

Justin Hancock, a fantastic, experienced and qualified UK-based sex and relationships educator chats with Alex Iantaffi about the role of gender in sex education, consent, power and privilege and so much more! Justin is also the co-host of the fabulous Meg-John & Justin podcast, as well as co-author (with Meg-John Barker) of Enjoy Sex (How, when and IF you want to). You can find his podcast and educational zines co-created with Meg-John Barker at https://megjohnandjustin.com/ Find out about their training courses and resources at https://bishtraining.com/ and find their sex education website for everyone over 14 at https://www.bishuk.com/Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Dr. Meg-John Barker, amazing UK-based scholar, therapist, author, sex and relationship expert and Alex's friend for the past 15 years, as well as co-author of "How To Understand You Gender", shares vulnerable insights on writing, vulnerability and, of course, gender, as well as so much more! Join us at the kitchen table for a warm and vulnerable conversation on so many topics close to our hearts.Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

An interview with Dave Pickering, an award-winning storyteller, podcaster and creator from the UK. Dave has written and performed for BBC Radio 4 and in 2017 his podcast Getting Better Acquainted won a British Podcast Award. Dave talks vulnerably about storytelling, masculinity, including his own, and his upcoming book "Mansplaining Masculinity". CW: in this episode, we talk about bullying, street harassment and sexual violence.You can find out more about Dave's work at: http://dave-pickering.squarespace.com or follow him and his projects on Twitter at: @goosefat101 @standup4tragedy @GBApodcast @sparkLDNand you can find the book at: https://unbound.com/books/mansplaining-masculinity/Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Alex Iantaffi interviews the wonderful author and 2015 winner of the Tiptree Literary Award Pat Schmatz. They talk about language, writing non-binary characters and so much more. You can find out more about Pat's wonderful books at http://www.patschmatz.comSupport the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Content warning: in this episode we talk about body image issues and sexual assault. In this episode, Alex Iantaffi interviews the formidable Erica Hanna, a speaker, video maker, activist and consultant, six time Emmy Award winner, Nobel Peace Prize Forum Social Media Ambassador, and Twitter personality for Minneapolis. Erica is the owner of Puke Rainbow, a business focusing on content strategy, video production, and education in these areas. She also raises funds for nonprofit @charitywater through social media and she has worked with Ellen Degeneres and Prince. We discuss topics such as being a video maker, running your own business, body image, visual diet, and sexual violence. You can find out more about Erica's work at http://www.pukerainbows.com/ or follow her on Twitter @meetericaSupport the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub